Questions Geography Chapter 2

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is biodiversity?
Answer: It is the sum total of all the varieties of species of plants,
animals and microorganisms living on the earth.

2. What is flora?
Answer: Plants of particular region or period are referred to as
flora.

3. What is fauna?
Answer: Species of animals of a particular region or period are
referred as fauna.

4. “India is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of

its vast array of biological diversity”. Justify.
Answer: India has nearly 8% of the total number of species in the
world.

5. What is IUCN? [CBSE 2013]

Answer: International Union for Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources.

6. What are normal species? [CBSE.2014]

Answer: Species whose population levels are considered to be
normal for their survival are classified as normal species.

7. What are endemic species?

Answer: Species which are found in some particular areas
usually isolated by natural or geographical barriers.

8. What are endangered species?

Answer: The species, which are in danger of extinction are called
endangered species.

9. What are vulnerable species?

Answer: The species whose population has declined to levels
from where it is likely to move into the endangered category in
the near future if the negative factors continue to operate.
10. What are extinct species?
Answer: The species which are not found after searches of
known or likely areas where they may occur.

11. Give two examples of rare species?

Answer: (i) Wild Asiatic buffalo (ii) Hombill

12. Categorise the following as endangered or vulnerable

species- Asiatic elephant, Indian Rhino.
Answer: (i) Asiatic elephant – Vulnerable species.
(ii) Indian Rhino – Endangered species.

13. Categorise the following as extinct or normal species-

Pine, Asiatic Cheetah.
Answer: (i) Pine – Normal species
(ii) Asiatic Cheetah – Extinct species

14. Categorise the following as endemic and endangered

species- Lion tailed macaque, Nicobar Pigeon.
Answer: (i) Lion tailed macaque – Endangered.
(ii) Nicobar pigeon – Endemic.

15. Mention any two factors responsible for depleting our

forests and wildlife.
Answer: (i) Expansion of agriculture (ii) Mining

16. Name the Tiger Reserve which is seriously threatened

by dolomite mining activity.
Answer: The Bauxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal.

17. Mention a social impact of deforestation.

Answer: In many societies, women bear the major responsibility

of collection of fuel, fodder, water and other basic subsistence
needs. As these resources are depleted, the drudgery of women
increases and sometimes they have to walk for more than 10 km
to collect these resources.

18. Mention any wildlife protection programme?

Answer: The Indian Wildlife Act 1972.
19. Mention any one step which was undertaken under
Indian Wildlife Act to protect the wildlife.
Answer: Trade in wildlife was declared illegal.

20. What are permanent forests?

Answer: Reserved and protected forests are known as
permanent forests.

21. Which state has the largest area under permanent

forests?
Answer: Madhya Pradesh. * .

22. Name any two states which’ have large percentage of

reserved forests of its forest area. [CBSE 2014]
Answer: Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh.

23. Name any two states which have bulk of its forests
area under protected forests.
Answer: Punjab and Haryana.

24. Name any two states which have bulk of its forests
area under unclassed forests.
Answer: Assam and Tripura.

25. Name the place of state where people have fought

against mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act.
Answer: Sariska Tiger Reserve – Rajasthan.

26. What is Chipko Movement?

Answer: It was a movement launched by the people of the
Himalayas against deforest.

27. Name any two farmers/citizens group which have

shown that adequate levels of diversified crop production
without use of synthetic chemicals are possible and
economically viable.
Answer: Beej Bachao Andolan and Navdanya

28. What is JFM?

Answer: JFM (Joint Forest Management) was a movement
launched to manage and restore degraded forests by involving
the local communities.
29. Name the state which was first to pass the JFM
resolution. [CBSE 2014]
Answer: Odisha

30. Name any four movements which were launched by

local communities for the protection of forests or wildlife.
Answer: (a) Chipko Movement
(b) Beej Bachao Andolan
(c) Narmada Bachao Andolan
(d) Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri

Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is biodiversity? [CBSE Sept. 2012]

Answer: Biodiversity is the sum total of all the varieties of

species of plants, animals and micro-organisms living on the
earth. It also includes the habitat in which they live. Some
scientists estimate that more than 10 million species live on our
earth and some believe that this number can be more than 100
million.

2. What is importance of forests?

Or
“Forests play a key role in the ecological system.”
Highlight the value of forests in our life. [CBSE Sept. 2013]
Or
Why is it necessary to increase the area of forest in
India? [CBSE 2013]

Answer: (i) Forests play a key role in the ecological system as

these are the primary producers on which all other living beings
depend.
(ii) Many forest dependent communities directly depend on them
for food, drink, medicine, culture, spirituality etc.
(iii) Forest provide us timber.
(iv) Forests also provide bamboo, wood for fuel, grass, charcoal,
fruits, flowers, etc.

3. “The diverse flora and fauna of India is under threat”.

Justify by giving reasons.
Answer: (i) At least 10% of India’s recorded wild flora and 20% of
its mammals are on the threatened list.
(ii) The cheetah, pink-headed duck, mountain quail, forest spotted
owlet, and plants like madhuca insignis (a wild variety of mahua)
and hubbardia heptaneuron (a species of grass) have already
been categorised as critical, i.e. they are on the verge of
extinction.
(iii) Many smaller animals like insects and plants have become
extinct.

4. What are Normal species? How are these different from

endangered species. Give four examples.

Answer: Normal species are the species whose population levels

are considered to be normal for their survival, such as cattle, sal,
pine, rodents, etc.
Whereas the endangered species are the species which are in
danger of extinction. The survival of such species is difficult if the
negative factors that have led to a decline in their population
continue to operate. Black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian
rhino, lion tailed macaque, etc., are examples of endangered
species.

5. What are Vulnerable species? Give four

examples. [CBSE Sept. 2012]

Answer: These are the species whose population has declined to

levels from where it is likely to move into the endangered
category in the near future if the negative factors continue to
operate such species. The examples of such species are Blue
sheep, Asiatic elephant, Gangetic dolphin, etc.

6. What are Rare species? Give four examples. [CBSE Sept.

2012]

Answer: Species with small population may move into the

endangered or vulnerable category if the negative factors
affecting them continue to operate. The examples of such species
are the Himalayan brown bear, Wild Asiatic buffalo, Desert fox
and hornbill, etc.

7. What are Endemic species? Give four examples.

Answer: The species which are only found in some particular
region usually isolated by natural or geographical barriers. The
examples of such species are the Andaman teal, Nicobar pigeon,
Andaman wild pig, etc.

8. What are Extinct species? Give four examples.

Answer: These species which are not found after searches of

known or likely areas where they may occur. These species may
be extinct from a local area, region, country, continent or the
whole earth. The examples of such species are the Asiatic
cheetah, pink headed duck, etc.

9. Large scale development projects have also contributed

significantly to the loss of forests. Explain.

Answer: (i) Since 1951, over 5,000 square kilometres of forests

were cleared for river valley projects.
(ii) Clearing of forests is still continuing because of new projects
like the Sardar Sarovar Project, the Ranjit Sagar Dam Project, etc.
Many wildlife sanctuaries are seriously threatened due to large
scale mining activities.

10. (i) Which factor is often cited as the cause of

environmental degradation in the third world countries?
(ii) Mention any four factors which have led to the decline
of India’s biodiversity.

Answer: (i) Overpopulation.

(ii) (a) Habitat destruction
(b) Hunting
(c) Poaching
(d) Overexploitation
(e) Environmental pollution
(f) Forest fires.

11. “Developed countries and rich people are considered

the major factors for environmental degradation.” Explain.

Answer: (i) Developed countries consume more resources than

underdeveloped or developing countries. For example an average
American consumes 40 times more resources than an average
Somalian.
(ii) The rich class probably causes more ecological damage than
the poor class because energy consumption level of the rich is
high as compared to poor.
(iii) Rich people use non-renewable resources on a large scale.

12. “Grazing and fuel-wood collection are not responsible

for deforestation in India.” Support the statement with
suitable reasons. [CBSE 2013]

Answer: (i) Overgrazing destroys the saplings and plants are tom
out by the roots by animals.
(ii) Overgrazing also leads to soil erosion. Soil erosion is one of the
important factor for deforestation.
(iii) While collecting fuel wood the locals also destroy the trees,
which leads to deforestation.

13. “The conservation projects are now focusing on

biodiversity rather than on a few of its components.”
Explain.

Answer: (i) Inclusion of small insects and other animals in

planning : Under the new plans, even insects and other smaller
species of animals are beginning to find a place in conservation
planning.
(ii) New notifications : In the notification under the Wildlife Act of
1980 and 1986, several hundred butterflies, moths, beetles, and
one dragonfly have been added to the list of protected species. In
1991, for the first time, plants were also added to the list, starting
with six species.

14. With reference to the type and distribution of forests,

answer the following questions:
(i) How are they classified?
(ii) Which type of forests are regarded most valuable as
far as the conservation of forest and wildlife resources are
concerned?

Answer: (i) (a) Reserved forests

(b) Protected forests
(c) Unclassed forests.
(ii) Reserved forests.
15 Define the following:
(i) Reserved forests
(ii) Protected forests
(iii) Unclassed forests
Or
How many types of forests are classified in India?
Explain. [CBSE Sept. 2010]

Answer: (i) Reserved forests : These are forests which are

permanently earmarked either to the production of timber or
other forest produce and in which right of grazing and cultivation
is seldom allowed.
(ii) Protected forests : These are forests in which the right of
grazing and cultivation are allowed subject to a few minor
restrictions.
(iii) Unclassed forests : These consist largely of inaccessible
forests or unoccupied wastes.

16. (a) What was the Chipko Movement?

(b) What is JFM? What is its objective?
(c) Name the state which took initiative for the Joint
Forest Management.

Answer: (a) (i) The movement was launched in the Himalayas

against deforestation.
(ii) The movement has also shown the community afforestation
with indigenous species can be enormously successful.
(iii) The movement has highlighted the role of local communities
in forest conservations.
(b) It is Joint Forest Management. It is programme which involves
local communities in the management and restoration of
degraded forests.
(c) Odisha.

17. (i) Name any two states which have the largest area
under permanent forests (ii) Name any four states which
have a large area under reserved forests.
(ii) Name any four states which have the large area under
unclassed forests.

Answer: (i) (a) Madhya Pradesh

(b) Jharkhand
(ii) (a) Jammu and Kashmir
(b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Uttarakhand
(d) Kerala
(iii) (a) Gujarat
(b) Manipur
(c) Assam
(d) Sikkim

18. ‘India has rich flora and fauna.’ Explain.

Answer: (i) India is one of the world’s richest countries in terms

of its vast array of biological diversity.
(ii) It has nearly 8% of the total number of species in the world.
(1.6 million approximately.)
(iii) Of the estimated 47,000 plant species, about 15,000 flowering
species are indigenous to India.

19- Mining is one of the major important factors

responsible for deforestation. Explain.

Answer: (i) Mining operation needs big machines, labour, roads,

railways, etc. All these lead to deforestation.
(ii) The Buxar Tiger Reserve in West Bengal is seriously
threatened due to mining operations. The mining operations have
caused severe ecological damage to the Reserve and region
around.
(iii) The mining activities have blocked the migration route of
several species, including the great Indian elephants, thus,
disturbing their natural habitat.

20. What are the main objectives of JFM? [CBSE Sept.

2012, 2014]

Answer: (i) Under the Joint Forest Management programme, local

communities are involved in the management and restoration of
degraded forests.
(ii) The major purpose of the JFM is to protect the forests from
encroachments, grazing, theft and fire and also to improve the
forests in accordance with an approved Joint Forest Management
plan.
(iii) In return, the members of these communities are entitled to
intermediary benefits like non-timber forest produces.
21. Highlight any three differences between endangered
species and extinct species. [CBSE Sept. 2010]

Answer:
Endangered species
1. These are species which are in danger of extinction.
2. The survival of such species is difficult if the negative factors
that have led to decline in their population continue to operate.
3. Black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, lion tailed macaque etc.,
are examples of endangered species.

Extinct species
1. These are species which are not found after searches of known
or likely areas where they may occur.
2. A species may be extinct from a local area, region, country,
continent or the entire earth.
3. Asiatic cheetah, pink head duck are examples of extinct
species.

22 What has been the contribution of the Indian Wildlife

Protection Act in protecting habitats in India?
Explain. [CBSE Sept. 2010, 2011]

Answer: (i) An all-India list of protected species was published.

The thrust of the programme was towards protecting the
remaining population of certain endangered species by banning
hunting, giving legal protection to their habitats, and restricting
trade in wildlife.

(ii) The central government also announced several projects for

protecting specific animals, which were greatly threatened,
including the tiger, the one-horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag
or hangul, three types of crocodiles—fresh water crocodile,
saltwater crocodile and the Gharial, the Asiatic lion, and others.

(iii) Many national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and bioreserves

were established to protect and conserve the wildlife.

23. How does biological loss of forest and wildlife

correlate with loss of cultural diversity? [CBSE Sept. 2010,
2011]
Answer: (i) Biological loss of forest and wildlife has increasingly
marginalised and impoverished many indigenous and other forest
dependent communities, who directly depend on various
components of the forest and wildlife for food, drink, medicine,
culture, spirituality, etc.
(ii) The indirect impact of degradation such as severe drought or
deforestation-induced floods, etc., also hits the poor the hardest.
Poverty in these cases is a direct outcome of environmental
destruction.
(iii) Due to biological loss of forest and wildlife many tribal
communities have disappeared.

24. “Nature-worship is an old age belief”. Explain how has

it helped in the conservation of forests and wildlife. [CBSE
Sept. 2013]

Answer: (i) Nature-worship is an age old tribal belief based on

the premise that all creations of nature have to be protected.
Such beliefs have preserved several virgin forests in pristine form
called Sacred Groves (the forests of God and Goddesses). These
patches of forest or parts,of large forests have been left
untouched by the local people and any interference with them is
banned.

(ii) The Mundas and the Santhal of Chota Nagpur region worship
mahua (Bassia latifolia) and kadamba (Anthocaphalus cadamba)
trees, and the tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship the tamarind
(Tamarindus indica) and mango (Mangifera indica) trees during
weddings.

(iii) Peepal and banyan trees are also considered sacred and
worshipped in most parts of India.

(iv) Sacred qualities are often ascribed to springs, mountain

peaks, plants and animals which are closely protected.

(v) In and around Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan, herds of

blackbuck, (chinkara), nilgai and peacocks can be seen as an
integral part of the community and nobody harms them.

25. What is Himalayan Yew? Why is it under great threat

at present? [CBSE 2012]
Answer: The Himalayan Yew is a medicinal plant which is found
in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
(i) It is under great threat due to over-exploitation.
(ii) A chemical compound called ‘taxol’ is extracted from the bark,
needles, twigs and roots of this tree.
(iii) So, it is now biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. “Conservation of rapid decline in wildlife population

and forestry has become essential.” Explain.
Or
Why do we need to conserve our forests and wildlife
resources? Explain any two steps taken by the
communities to protect our forest and wildlife
resources. [CBSE 2013]
Or
Why is conservation of forests and wildlife necessary? In
what way have conservation projects changed in the
recent years? [CBSE 2010]
Or
Assess the need for the conservation of forests and
wildlife in India. [CBSE 2012]

Answer: (i) Loss of cultural diversity : The loss of forest and

wildlife is not just a biological issue but it is also correlated with
cultural diversity. There are many forests-dependent
communities, which directly depend on various components of
the forests and wildlife for food, drinks, medicines, etc. Many of
tribal communities like Muria Gonds, Dhurwas, Bhatras, etc. have
lost their habitat because of the destruction of forests.

(ii) Complex web of living organisms : We humans along with all

living organisms form a complex web ecological system in which
we are only a part and very much dependent on this system for
our own existence. For example, the plants, animals and micro-
organisms recreate the quality of the air we breathe, the water
we drink and the soil that produce our food without which we
cannot survive.

(iii) Large scale destruction of forests : Between 1951 and 1980,

according to the Forest Survey of India, over 26,200 s km of forest
areas were converted into agricultural lands all over India.
2. Describe the different types of plant and animal species
found in India. [CBSE 2013]
Or
Explain any five different categories of existing plants and
animal species based on the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources with
examples. [CBSE 2013]

Answer: (i) Normal species : These include those whose

population levels are considered to be normal for their survival,
such as cattle, sal, pine, rodents etc.

(ii) Endangered species : These include those species which are in

danger of extinction. The several of such species is difficult if the
negative factors that have led to a decline in their population
continue to operate. For example, black buck, crocodile, Indian
wild ass, etc.

(iii) Vulnerable species : These include the species whose

population has declined to levels from where it is likely to move
into the endangered category in the near future if the negative
factors continue to operate. For example, blue sheep, gangetic
dolphin etc.

(iv) Rare species : They may move into the endangered or

vulnerable category for example, blue bear, wild Asiatic buffalo.

(v) Endemic species : These are found in some particular areas

usually isolated by natural or geographical barriers. For example,
Andaman teal, Nicobar prigo.

3. What steps have been taken by the government for the

conservation of forest and wildlife in India? Explain. [CBSE
2014]
Or
Write any three effective practices towards conserving
forests and wildlife. [CBSE Sept. 2010]
Or
Explain any three measures taken by the Indian
Government to protect wildlife. [CBSE Sept. 2010, 2011]
Answer: (i) National parks, biosphere and wildlife sanctuaries :
To protect the biodiversity, the Indian government has
established 100 national parks, 515 sanctuaries and 17 biosphere
reserves.

(ii) The Indian Wildlife Protection Act :

The Indian Wildlife Protection Act was implemented in 1972, with
various provisions for protecting habitats. An all India list of
protected species was also published. The thrust of the
programme was towards protecting the remaining population of
certain endangered species by banning hunting, giving legal
protection to their habitats and restricting trade in wildlife.

(iii) Projects for protecting specific animals : The central

government has also announced several projects for protecting
specific animals which were greatly threatened, including the
tiger, the one-horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag or hangul, the
three types of crocodiles – the freshwater crocodile, the saltwater
crocodile and the Gharial, the Asiatic lion and others.

(iv) Forest Policy : India is one of the few countries which has a
forest policy since 1894. It was revised in 1952 and again in 1988.
The main plank of the forest policy is protection, conservation and
development of forests.

(v) Forest Research Institutes : Indian government has created

many forest Research Institutes for the research, protection and
development of the forests. IFS Dehradun is the oldest research
institution of the country.

4. Distinguish between Reserved forests, Protected

forests and Unclassed forests.
Or
Classify the forests into three categories. [CBSE 2014]

Answer:

Reserved Forests Protected Forests Unclassed Forests

These consist of
These are permanently earmarked either These are protected from any
inaccessible forests or
for production or other forest produce. further depletion.
wastelands.
More than 50% of the total forest land Almost 1/3rd of the total forest These consist of only 16%
of India has been declared as reserved area of India is called as the of the total forest areas of
forests. protected forest. India.

These are owned by

These are controlled by the
These are controlled by the government. government and private
government.
individuals.

The forests of J & K, Andhra Pradesh, The forests of Bihar, Haryana,

The forests of north-eastern
Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha
states and parts of Gujarat
Bengal and Maharashtra fall in this and Rajasthan fall under this
fall under this category.
category. category.
5. “Conservation projects have changed their focus in the
recent years.” Explain. [CBSE 2014]
Or
In what ways the conservation project has changed in the
recent years?

Answer: The conservation projects are now focusing on

biodiversity rather than on a few of its components. There is now
a more intensive search for different conservation measures.
Increasingly, even insects are beginning to find a place in
conservation planning. In the notification under Wildlife Act of
1980 and 1986, several hundred butterflies, moths, beetles and
one dragonfly have been added to the list of protected species. In
1991, for the first time plants were also added to the list, starting
with six species. The clear lesson from the dynamics of both
environmental destruction and reconstruction in India is that local
communities everywhere have to be involved in some kind of
natural resource management.

6. “Maintenance of ecological system is of utmost

importance.” How can you contribute to conserve it and
what values are developed through this activity? [CBSE
2014]

Answer: (i) We humans along with all living organisms form a

complex web of ecological system in which we are only a part and
very much dependent on this system for our own existence. For
example, the plants, animals and micro-organisms re-create the
quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil that
produces our food without which we cannot survive. Forests play
a key role in the ecological system as these are also the primary
producers on which all other living beings depend.
(ii) We should save our environment by switching to green
technology and by contributing less to the emission of carbon
dioxide.
(iii) We should plant more and more trees, say no to plastic bags,
travel by public transport, etc.
(iv) It will improve the quality of our lives as well as our children
and will save our money to switch to alternate sources for power.

HOTS Questions and Answers

1. How has the IUCN classified the existing

animals? [CBSE Sept. 2014]

Answer: 1. Normal Species 2. Endangered Species 3. Vulnerable

Species 4. Rare Species 5. Endemic Species 6. Extinct Species

2. Classify the following animals according to the IUCN.

Asiatic Cheetah, Nicobar Pigeon, Asiatic Elephant, Blue
Sheep, Indian Rhino.

Answer: (i) Endangered – Indian Rhino

(ii) Vulnerable – Asiatic Elephant, Blue Sheep
(iii) Endemic – Nicobar Pigeon
(iv) Extinct – Asiatic Cheetah

3. What is ‘Project Tiger’? When was it launched? Mention

any four tiger reserves of India.
Or
Write a brief note on ‘Project Tiger’. [CBSE Sept. 2010]

Answer: Project Tiger was a wildlife conservation project initiated

in India in 1973 to protect the Bengal Tiger. There are more than
42 tiger reserves in India covering an area of about 37,761 s km.
Four Tiger Reserves in India are :
(i) The Corbett National Park – Uttarakhand
(ii) The Sunderban National Fbrk – West Bengal
(iii) The Manas Tiger Reserve – Assam (iu) The Periyar Tiger
Reserve – Kerala

4. The greatest damage inflicted on Indian forests was due

to the extension of agriculture. Explain. Suggest any two
ways to increase area under forests.
Answer: (i) The expansion of agriculture started during the
colonial period.
(ii) Between 1951 and 1980, according to the Forest Survey of
India, over 26,200 s km of forest areas were converted into
agricultural lands all over India.
(iii) Substantial parts of the tribal belts, especially in the north-
eastern and central India, have been deforested or degraded by
Shifting Cultivation (jhum), a type of ‘slash and burn’ agricultural
method.
Suggestions :
(i) Planting more trees
(ii) Celebrating Van Mahotsav at community and school level.

5. Give three reasons why we need to save the

biodiversity of our planet. How can you contribute in the
given cause? [CBSE Sept. 2012, 2013]
Or
Explain the importance of biodiversity for human
beings. [CBSE 2010, 14]

Answer: (i) We humans along with all living organisms form a

complex web of ecological system in which we are only a part and
very much dependent on this system for our own existence. For
example, the plants, animals and micro-organisms recreate the
quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil that
produces our food without which we cannot survive.
(ii) The destruction of forests and wildlife is not just a biological
issue. The biological loss is strongly correlated with the loss of
cultural diversity.
(iii) It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals
for better growth of species and breeding.

Our contribution :
(i) Minimising wastage of resources.
(ii) Use Jute bags.
(iii) Planting more trees.

6. Mention any four major threats to the population of

tiger? Explain the efforts made by the government to
protect them. [CBSE 2013]

Answer: (i) Poaching for trade

(ii) Shrinking habitat
(iii) Depletion of prey base species
(iv) Growing human population
(v) The trade of tiger skins and the use of their bones in
transitional medicines, especially in the Asian countries left the
tiger population on the verge of extinction.

Efforts made by the government to protect them are as under :

(i) Project Tiger, one of the well-publicised wildlife campaigns in
the world, was launched in 1973.
(ii) There are 42 tiger reserves in India covering an area of 37,761
sq km.
(iii) Tiger conservation had been viewed not only as an effort to
save an endangered species, but with equal importance as a
means of preserving bio types of sizeable magnitude.
(iv) Some of the tiger reserves of India are Corbett National Park
in Uttarakhand, Sunderbans National Park in West Bengal etc.

7. Explain the social impacts of loss of forests.

Or
“Forest and wildlife are vital to the quality of life and
environment in the subcontinent.” Explain. [CBSE 2012,
2013]

Answer: (i) Loss of cultural diversity : The loss of forest and

wildlife is not just a biological issue but it is also correlated with
cultural diversity. There are many forests-dependent
communities, which directly depend on various components of
the forests and wildlife for food, drinks, medicines, etc. Many of
tribal communities like Muria Gonds, Dhurwas, Bhatras, etc., have
lost their habitat because of the destruction of forests.

(ii) Impact on women : Even among the poor, women are affected
more than men. In many societies, women bear the major
responsibility of collection of fuel, fodder, water and other basic
needs. As these resources are depleted, the drudgery of women
increases. Most of the time they have to walk for more than 10
km to collect the basic necessities. This causes serious health
problems for women in the negligence of home and children
because of the increased hours of work, which often has serious
social implications.

(iii) Poverty : Deforestation is also responsible for poverty. It is

considered as a direct outcome of environmental destruction.
Most of the poor people or tribal people depend on forests for
their basic needs. Now if the forests are destroyed, these poor
people will be deprived of the basic necessities.

8. Describe how communities have conserved and

protected forests and wildlife in India. What moral lessons
you have learnt from this? [CBSE 2014]

Answer: (i) In Sariska Tiger Reserve : Rajasthani villagers have

fought against mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act. In
many areas, villagers themselves are protecting habitats and
explicitly rejecting government involvement.

(ii) The inhabitants of five villages in the Alwar district of

Rajasthan have declared about 1,200 hectares of forest area as
the ‘Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri. The community has declared their
own set of rules and regulations which do not allow hunting and
are protecting the wildlife against any outside encroachments.

(iii) Many states have launched the Joint Forest Management

programme to involve local communities in the management and
restoration of degraded forests. Odisha was the first state to
launch this programme.

(iv) Improper farming techniques, defective methods of farming

are also responsible for depletion of our biodiversity. So many
farmers and citizen groups support the Bee) Bachao Andolan in
Tehri and Navdanya have developed or are using various crop
production methods which do not use synthetic chemicals for
growing crops.

(v) The famous Chipko Movement was launched by the women of

Chamoli in northern India, saved more than 12,000 s km. area of
forests just by hugging the trees when the lumberjacks attempted
to cut them.

Moral lessons :
• Conservation strategies can be successful only with the
participation of local people.
• The clear lesson from the dynamics of both environmental
destruction and reconstruction in India is that local communities
everywhere have to be involved in some kind of natural resource
management. But there is still a long way to go before local
communities are at the centre-stage in decision making. Accept
only those economic or developmental activities, that are people
centric, environment-friendly and economically rewarding.

9. Which values do the wildlife sanctuaries of any country

promote? [CBSE 2013]

Answer: (i) Wildlife sanctuaries have been formed to conserve

and maintain the diversity and integrity of natural heritage.
(ii) They help to preserve natural ecosystem.
(iii) They teach us the value of sharing because we humans along
with all living organisms form a complex web of ecological system
in which we are only a part and very much dependent on this
system for our own existence.

10. List any three examples of environmental degradation

that you may have observed around you. [CBSE 2013]

Answer: (i) Polluted air and water : Industries and vehicles

release harmful gases and chemicals which are responsible for
degradation of water and air.
(ii) Land degradation : Overuse of fertilisers and chemicals have
resulted in land degradation.
(iii) Loss of biodiversity: Habitat destruction, hunting, poaching
has led to the decline in biodiversity.